Method of making fulcrums



Apri19; 1929. AUS'TN 1,708,251

METHOD OF MAKING FULGRUMS Filed Aug. 27, 1926 Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. AUSTIN, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUND- RIES, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MAKING FULCRUMS.

Application filed August 27, 1326. Serial No. 131,946.

My invention relates to improvements in the process of toi-ming` brake beam fulcrums for use on railroad cars.

lThe type of `brake beam fulcrum contcmplated in my invention is used as a strut positioned between and intermediate the length of a compression member and a tension member to form a trussed break beam structure. Fulcrums of this type-are usually 0 made of forged steel and have two parallel arms, the intermediate portions of which are twisted in an inclined plane forming an angularly disposed slot and are further provided with suitable bearing seats at its opposite ends to engage the compression and tension members respectively. The slot between t-he twov parallel Varms is adapted to receive a lever mounted on ra pin journaled at its opposite ends in bearing holes drilled through the arms.

It has been the practice heretofore to construct brake beam fulcrums out of relatively thin bar stock in order to reduce the expense but at all times selecting material of suliicientthickness and strength to meet the requirements of service to which it is sub- 'jected encountered, however, in constructing' brake beam fulcrums from thin metal stock inasmuch as the thickness does not provide sufiicient bea-ring' surface for' the leverpivots which are subject to excessive wear as the entire braking` strain is imparted to the brake bea-n1 and brake shoes from the operating' mechanism through the lever pivot referred to. In order to counteract this detrimental effect, it has been the practice to provide annular protrusions or bosses on the outside of the two arms surrounding the bearing' holes in a manner to increase the bearing;

surface, these being formed either by weld ing additional metal to the arms or by pressing` to form bosses so as to increase the bearinn` surface. This method is also objection able as it is found in practice to be very dilficult to provide bearing surfaces in this manner which are properly aligned and further, because it necessitates a spotting of A marked disadvantage has beenA Vprovide a brake beam ulcrum which has a relatively thick portion to provide lor the bearing openings, and a thinner portion 'to provide 'or the necessary length with the least possible material.

It is the further purpose of my invention to provide an improvement in the process ot' making, brake beam fulcrums which comprises tapering` the arms of the brake beam in a manner to reduce the thickness in a portion where it is not needed so as to increase the length.

@ther objects of my invention will be more clearly understood from the following description when considered in connection with thev accompanying drawing in which the 'varimis tigures show the development ot my brake beam fulcruni after each step in the process herein set forth.

Figures l to 18 represent y the different forms of the fulcrun'i piece as it vwill appear att-er the various steps in the process practiced according` to my invention.

My process contemplates shearing` a piece of bar milled stock ot a thickness sullicient to provide the necessary beariimsurface when bearings are formed in drilling, but of a length less than that of the linished product. Such a bar is shown represented at l0 in Figure'l, the edges being shown slightly rounded as it comes from the mill, this last feature being' best shown in Figure YEhe bar, which is heated, is then tapered by a rolling, ope; tion, squeezing' the piece at one end tor making' the loot portion and reducing the thicknes of the stock by causing Jthe metal to How in a manner' to increase the length thereof. This reduction in stock is made beleef: the point where the greatest ,direction at the opposite end.

pinhole distance is, that is, where the lever pivot is to be positioned; this operation be-V ing accomplished .in a roll tapering machine in a. manner to cause the metal to flow to increase the length of the piece.

After the bar is properly tapered, it is subjected tothe .first pressing operation at which time the desired. stamping is done; then the hole 11 is punched at its tapered end and the Aouteredge trimmed off round the gz'iu'ge at the oppositeend so tl'i'a't the lengt-li 0f the piece for forging will be the same each time. rIlhis results inthevshape suc/has shown in Figure 5, where the bar is provided with a rounded outer ,end such as 12, with the reduced foot portion designated 13 r1`he kpiece is .then subjected to a second pressing The fourth or final pressing operation forms a twist, above referred to, in the piece intermediate-its length at the Vproper degree for the fulciu`m, the twist beingl shown as at17 V-ii'i Figures 11 and 12.' Thus far, we have formed one of the twoneeessary arms to vcomplete the brake beam fulcrum.

TheneXt operation contemplates uniting the ends of two arms so formed in a manner to form a vtension rod seat. This is done by `mounting'lf the two .arms in dies having an lopening to, receive theends of the blank to be operated upon, upsetting the ends of the blank while sat a vwelding heat, causing the ends tounite .foiming an integral bearing i seat, such as shownat18 in Figure 13. I`he relative positions ofthe two arms after tl e .upsettingoperation.will Vbe seen in Figure 14,2 feet 18V extending in opposite directions and the twisted p'ortionsfor the t`wo arms being parallel', asshown, to forni the 'angu lai; slot designated at 19 in this figure.

The next operation comprises trimming the flash which is thrown up in the ,prior operation, leaving the fulcrum with a smooth rounded.edge L0, as showen fin F igure l5. When the fulcruin isfcoinpleted to this extent, it is ,then ready to be shipped or rto be stocked.. VThe only operation remain- `ing is the drilling .of suitable bearing holes, such assliow'n at 2l in Figure 17, but which are not so drilled unt-il the finish of the particular brake beam to which it is to. be ap- 'pliedhasbeen ascertained. This last drill- 4ing operation is usually done at the time the brake fulcrun'i is installed, thus permitting Y great `flexibility in 'the installation and limiting the necessity of stocking many varieties, the holes of which are positioned differently for installation on varying types of brake beams. rlhis last feature is of great iniportan'ce inasmuch as the foremost objection to a type of fulcrum having the bossed bearing holes"A is that it necessitates the manufacture of a great vaiiiety of types of fulcrums, inasmuch as the placing and forming of the bearing hole lrequires an KIo} ier ati l n at 'the `factory and fcaiiiiot be accomplished by merely drilling, such as can be done by the mechanic, installing the fulcrum, as is possible with my device.

In myk invention, I have provided a brake beam fulcrum formed from a minimum of material 'and yet have provided that portion ofthe fulc'rum which is to accommodate the bearing opening with 'a thickness which will permit the holes to be 'drilled and thus render it'lu'i'inecessaijy to have this operation completed at the factory before the ful'crum is delivered for installation. i I The above-'detail description andthe eisclos'ure 'i'n the drawing 'areilliistr'ative of a preferred en'i'bodiment' of my invention, but a is my intenties as incita@ iii modifications that fall 'within 'theJ s'cope of 'the appended claims.

I claim :V l. The process yof forniing a brake beam fulcrum l'i'aving "two parallel twisted a'iins integral fat one e'nd to form a tension rod seat', having the opposite ends of the arms bent at right vangles to form feet, which consists in lengthening the 'arms by taperingtheir outer ends and then pressing 'same to shape and twisting the arms, vand ,final/ly uniting the opposite 'ends to forman integral tension rod seat. y l

2. The process fof forming a piece for a Ibrake beam fulcrumwvhieh' isof Vproper length -and of proper thickness at Vthe }`)la`ces where 'bearing holes occurvwhich consists in 'lengthening by tapering an end starting "ata pointbetween th'e location fof the bearings and the lend of the Apiece land "tlienlborn ing bearing holes in the portion which is not tapered.V f Y v Y i Y.A The process 'of forming a brake. beam fulcrum which 'consists yin tapering `one end a fulcrum piece to increase; its length, then vpressing to "puncl'i a hole in the tapered end and'to round the 'tapered en'd lof fthe piece', then pressing 'to form 'an edge bend,

then bending 'a right ai'igle foot on the end- 'aii'd twisting the cei'itfr'al portion of the piece, then uniting :the ends o'f two pieces at a welding temperature and linallyV Atrii'iiming off the Hash 'tli'rown up in the uniting operationf 4. The process of producing bra-ke beam fi'ile'ri'u'n which consists 'i'n providing 'a brake beam Y'piece of 'afthickness to provide fsiiii-i cient bearing surface, then tapering the thickness at one end by pressure causing the nietztl to How to increase the length of the piece, then shaping and punching by pressure and finally uniting the opposite ends of two pieces so shaped to form a tension rod seat.

5. The process of forming a brake beam fulcruin which consists in providing two bars of stock of a, thickness sufficient to provide bearing surfaces and shorter than the final length, lengthening sind bars by tapering the ends thereof throughout portions removed from the possible locations of bearing holes, pressing the said bars to shape and finally uniting their opposite ends to forni an integral tension rod seat.

Signed at Hammond, Indiana, this 21st dey of August, 1926.

GEORGE H. AUSTIN. 

